1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to promoters and terminators which function in filamentous fungi, expression vectors comprising the same, and hosts transformed by said vectors.
2. Description of the Related Art
The filamentous fungus strain PF1022 (Mycelia sterilia) (FERM BP-2671) produces substance PF1022 which is a 24-membered cyclic depsipeptide having a vermifugal activity. This strain has been classified into Agonomycetes since it forms no sexual or asexual organ (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 35796/1991).
On the other hand, a transformant of the strain PF1022 has been obtained by introducing a plasmid in which the TAKA-amylase gene derived from Aspergillus oryzae is ligated along with a drug resistance gene into the strain PF1022 (WO97/00944).
However, the regulatory DNA sequence of the TAKA-amylase gene derived from Aspergillus oryzae reported in WO97/00944 is a regulatory DNA sequence derived from a strain of heterologous species. Moreover, genetic characteristics of Mycelia sterilia have not sufficiently been revealed and the condition to satisfy expression vector systems has not been elucidated. Accordingly, it is not clear whether gene expression in a transformant having a regulatory sequence derived from a strain of heterologous species can be coordinately regulated with the expression of an endogenous gene in the strain PF1022. Furthermore, since the strain PF1022 belongs to Agonomycetes, it is also not clear whether conventional regulatory DNA sequences used in microorganisms other than genus Aspergillus, such as genus Trichoderma, genus Fusarium, genus Neurospora or the like, can be appropriately expressed.
Accordingly, a regulatory sequence and an expression vector system which stably function in Mycelia sterilia, and establishment of technology for producing useful substances in Mycelia sterilia using the same are highly desired.